


Never Dull For Long

by loves_books



Category: Lewis (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M, Not Lizzie/James, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-04
Updated: 2015-02-04
Packaged: 2018-03-10 13:00:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3291218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loves_books/pseuds/loves_books
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes, police work was boring. They never told you about that side of the job when you applied, of course, but there were moments when it was undeniably dull as ditchwater. </p>
<p>During one such dull moment, Lizzie Maddox contemplates her new life in Oxford, and her awkward DI.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Never Dull For Long

**Author's Note:**

> This started life as a writing experiment which was never originally meant to be shared: after reading Willowbrooke's wonderful 'The Case Of The Missing Santa', I simply wanted to see if I could write something from Lizzie's POV. That little piece then merged with a small plot bunny I had for what might happen after the end of series 8, and eventually grew into this story. 
> 
> Huge thanks to Willowbrooke for beta-reading, and offering advice and encouragement. Any remaining errors are all mine, as always!

Sometimes, police work was boring. They never told you about that side of the job when you applied, of course, but there were moments when it was undeniably dull as ditchwater. 

“How much longer d’you think they’ll let this go on, sir?” Lizzie Maddox half-turned in her seat to stare across at her boss. “It’ll be dark soon.”

“No idea, I’m afraid, Sergeant.” DI Hathaway shifted awkwardly in the driver’s seat of the car, stretching his long arms forward until his fingertips brushed the windshield. “It’s not up to me.”

They’d already been there for nearly two hours longer than planned. Strong intel had suggested the suspected ringleader of a human trafficking operation had been due to return to the target house mid-afternoon, and a ring of officers had been set up for a raid. Three other cars full of detectives in surrounding roads, and a van of armed support, all waiting to pounce with search warrants at the ready. And still no sign of the man, nor any movement at the house.

Stakeouts were boring, this one more so than most, and Lizzie stifled a yawn as she turned her attention back to the unchanging view of the cul-de-sac they were parked up in. They each had a bottle of water but they’d long since run out of coffee, and they hadn’t thought to bring snacks. Her thoughts were turning towards the dinner Tony would have started preparing by now, and her stomach gave a traitorous rumble.

Hathaway snorted a half-laugh of sorts, folding his arms back into his lap, and Lizzie found herself smiling in return, shaking her head. A part of her had almost expected a sarcastic comment or quote, but the comfortable silence wasn’t a surprise either, not exactly.

It had been a steep learning curve, working with her new boss, but Lizzie was finally feeling as if the effort had been worthwhile. James Hathaway – and he was James, surprisingly, when they were off-duty and down the pub – was certainly one of the more challenging people she’d ever worked with, but he was a brilliant detective and she’d learned a lot from him already in just a few short months. He had his moments, of course; moments when he was undeniably awkward and difficult, and moments when his silences and brooding stares nearly drove her mad. But Lizzie was starting to see beneath her boss’s hard outer shell, to the compassionate, witty and generous man beneath. 

Yes, Lizzie was definitely glad she’d stuck it out and withdrawn her request for a transfer. For the most part, life in Oxford was proving to be exciting and challenging, and the fresh start she and Tony had hoped for. His job at the pumping station was going well, and they were slowly renovating the rundown house they’d moved into. They were making new friends, and she was starting to feel as if she fitted in. It was certainly very different from Leeds.

Hathaway shifted again in the driver’s seat, trying to stretch out his long legs. Lizzie winced in sympathy – the car was large enough, and the seats were more than comfortable, but her governor was all legs and had to be feeling cramped after nearly three hours of sitting still, ready and poised to leap into action at the first hint of movement. 

He’d been so much easier to work with since DI Lewis came out of retirement. Before, he’d kept such tight control over every aspect of every case that there had barely been anything for Lizzie to do, but the return of his former governor had somehow allowed Hathaway to loosen the reins a fraction. And Lewis was an easy man to work with and admire – another brilliant detective, of course, and a man who knew Oxford like the back of his hand. They made a strange and unlikely pair, Lewis and Hathaway, yet Lizzie had been able to see from day one just how well they worked together.

Lizzie hadn’t put two and two together for a long time, though, and when she’d figured it out she could have kicked herself. She hadn’t even considered it until she’d spotted the momentary flash of heartbreak that had crossed her boss’s long face when Laura had been showing off her ring, but once she’d seen that, everything had made sudden and painful sense.

She shifted around in her seat until she could watch Hathaway out of the corner of her eye. Her boss was focussed on the street outside, with a slightly glazed look in his eyes that she could certainly relate to. Any hint of adrenaline they’d felt had long since faded as the stakeout dragged on and on, although Lizzie didn’t doubt Hathaway would be raring to go the moment the call came through on the radio. He looked tired, though, dark shadows visible beneath his eyes even in the dying light of the day.

He’d started keeping long hours again over the last couple of weeks. There had been too many nights when Lizzie had left him in the office, still pouring over paperwork, or sifting through evidence. There had also been too many mornings when she’d arrived early to find him already working at his desk or, even worse, to find him asleep in his chair. 

There was no doubt in Lizzie’s mind as to the timing, or the reason. Hathaway had started working himself into the ground again the very same day that Laura Hobson had started wearing that beautiful diamond ring.

“Are you going round to DI Lewis’s tonight?” she asked hesitantly, wondering if the pair’s usual Friday night dinner was back on track. She thought not, strongly suspecting Hathaway would be heading straight back to the office instead, if the raid ever actually happened.

And sure enough, her boss shook his head immediately. “No, he’s taken Laura away for the weekend. Glyndebourne, I think.”

Oh, very nice, Lizzie couldn’t help thinking. “Any other plans?”

“I imagine the paperwork for all this will take until the early hours at this rate.” Before Lizzie could remind him that it wasn’t even their case, Hathaway glanced over at her and asked, “How about you? Plans with Tony?”

“Only dinner, then maybe a DVD. He’s cooking his ‘speciality’; it’ll keep if we’re too late, I’m sure.”

Lizzie suddenly felt almost overwhelmed with love for her husband, as Hathaway nodded slowly, his gaze drifting back out of the window. Tony had never complained about the long hours she’d worked when she was going for promotion to DS, nor the long hours she still kept, and he’d always been her biggest cheerleader. 

It had to be hard for Hathaway, working so closely with Robbie Lewis and feeling the way he so clearly did. Knowing he stood no chance, especially now. 

She was sure Lewis had absolutely no idea. Oh, Lizzie was certain Lewis cared for Hathaway deeply, but as a best friend, or a younger brother, perhaps. The older man was clearly completely oblivious to the longing looks sent his way when Hathaway thought no one was looking. When Lewis threw his arm companionably around Hathaway’s shoulders, Lizzie knew now the reason why Hathaway leant in so easily, when he was usually so prickly about touch. 

There were the times when she caught a rare glimpse of her boss’s wide and natural smile, a smile which only ever seemed to appear when Robbie Lewis was in the room. And there were times when she could only stand and listen as the two of them bounced ideas back and forth, ideas turning inevitably to banter, hearing the admiration and a hint of something more in Hathaway’s voice. He’d been angry at first when Lewis had come back to work, but the anger hadn’t lasted long; Hathaway was simply happier when Lewis was around, and Lizzie now had no doubt as to the reason why.

She was a very good detective herself, after all.

“Why don’t you come round tonight? If we’re done sooner rather than later, at least.” Suddenly, it seemed like the most important thing in the world to her that Hathaway didn’t go back to the office when the stakeout and raid finally ended, hopefully in success. “Tony’s doing a mushroom risotto, and there’ll be homemade garlic bread too. He always makes enough to feed an army; I’ll be eating leftovers for a week if you don’t come over. A few glasses of wine, too, maybe?”

“I don’t think – ”

“The paperwork’ll wait, sir. It’s not even our case; we’re just back-up. Please, say you’ll come eat with us?”

A soft sigh followed by a huff of laughter. “Are you trying to feed me up, Sergeant Maddox?”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Inspector Hathaway.” He was as skinny as a rake, certainly, but Lizzie had seen first-hand just how much food the man could put away. She’d often had inappropriate thoughts where she wished she had Hathaway’s metabolism, as well as his long, long legs. “No, but seriously – ” she turned in her seat again, pulling one leg partly up beneath herself, “ – come for dinner?” 

A long pause, Hathaway staring resolutely ahead and not turning to meet her gaze. Then finally, just when Lizzie had convinced herself he wouldn’t answer, he gave a tiny nod. “All right. Thanks, Lizzie.”

Objectively, Lizzie knew Hathaway wasn’t that much older than herself, if he was even older at all. In that moment, though, he suddenly looked very old and very tired, the shadows beneath his eyes growing darker and the lines around his mouth seeming deeper. He was her boss, not her friend, and she didn’t really know him very well just yet, but she was starting to learn how to read him. It was all in the details with James Hathaway, in the twitch of an eyelid or the tightening of a jawline.

Robbie Lewis, on the other hand, wore his emotions on his sleeve. It was easy to see if he was having a successful day, or if someone had pissed him off. He had a good poker face when he needed one, as most detectives did, but the majority of the time, Lizzie found him very easy to read. He was a good man, a kind man, and she could see what both James and Laura saw in him.

It wasn’t any of her business, though. Whatever Hathaway’s true feelings for Lewis – and she could be wrong, no matter how certain she felt – it didn’t affect any of them at work, and Lizzie found she was glad to have the opportunity to work with and learn from both of them.

“Good for Robbie and Laura,” she murmured without thinking, regretting her words almost immediately. She turned quickly back to face out the window again, checking the settings on the radio even though neither of them had touched it for an hour. “I mean, it should be quite the wedding.” 

“Hmm,” Hathaway hummed in response, taking a firm hold of the steering wheel with both hands and drumming his fingers. He hadn’t had a cigarette for nearly three hours either, of course. There was an ominous pause before he suddenly said, “Robbie’s asked me to be his best man.”

Turning back to him, Lizzie fought the urge to groan, or to take her boss’s hand in sympathy. Robbie Lewis really did have no idea. This would be absolute hell for Hathaway, she was sure. “I’m sure it’ll be okay,” she told him, unsure of how much she could or should say. “You’ll be okay. No, you’ll be great, I know. Regardless.” 

Watching him as closely as she was, she couldn’t miss the momentary flash of fear that passed across Hathaway’s face before it was quickly hidden beneath a blank mask. Clearly he hadn’t realised Lizzie had noticed anything about the way he felt. But to her surprise, rather than denying anything, Hathaway nodded once. 

“He’s happy,” her boss said quietly, as if that was the only factor of any importance. “And she’s lovely.”

There was nothing she could say to that, and really it was none of her business, even if she was suddenly feeling oddly protective of her awkward, yet brilliant, DI. A heavy silence fell between them once again, although it was slightly less comfortable than it had been previously, and outside the evening started to draw in with a vengeance. 

Lizzie was about to ask, again, how much longer they’d have to sit there, more out of frustration and a desire to change the topic than out of any honest expectation of an answer from her boss, when suddenly the radio crackled into life, making both of them jump as DI Grainger’s voice filled the car.

“Suspect sighted, all units stand by. Repeat, all units stand by.”

“Finally,” Hathaway grumbled, and Lizzie could hear the hint of reawakening excitement in his deep voice, even as she felt the thrum of adrenaline in her own veins. With a flick of his wrist he had the engine started, and in unison they plugged their seatbelts back in, their conversation forgotten for the time being.

Sometimes police work was boring, but moments like these were what the job was really all about. This was what she had signed up for in the first place – the feeling that she was making a difference in the world, stopping the bad people and protecting the innocent. Even though there had been a point where she had honestly thought she would never be able to find a way to bond with her new boss, they were slowly but surely becoming a good team, and Lizzie had no doubt that life would never be dull for long while she was Hathaway’s sergeant.


End file.
